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Abstract:

A portable electronic timepiece (timepiece) with a touch sensitive user
interface. The timepiece can be transitioned from a sleep mode to a wake
mode by touching a particular area on the touch interface for
pre-determined period of time (a dwell input). In the wake mode, the
timepiece can interpret a variety of user inputs, including dwell and
swipe inputs, and can alter the information shown on the display
accordingly. A swipe input can trigger a variety of functions depending
on the location, direction and path of the swipe across the touch
interface. A dwell input can also trigger other functions depending on
how long the dwell lasts and where on the touch interface it occurs. The
timepiece can also include a combination of one or more touch buttons and
a touch interface.

Claims:

1. A portable electronic timepiece having a band, a case attached to the
band, one or more processors configured to interact with a display, a
touch interface in registry with the display, a computer readable storage
medium, and configured to execute instructions in the form of one or more
software modules stored in the storage medium, comprising: a
touch-interface module that executes so as to configure the processor to
detect a wake input on the user interface and transition the timepiece
from a sleep mode to a wake mode responsive to a wake input; and a
display driver module that executes so as to configure the processor to
display, on the display, a first display responsive to the wake input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wake input is a user interaction
with the touch interface for a pre-determined amount of time on a
pre-determined area of the display.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the pre-determined amount of time is
between 0.5 and 5 seconds.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the pre-determined amount of time is
between 1 and 3 seconds.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the pre-determined amount of time is 1
second.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch interface is in an unlocked
state when the timepiece is in the wake mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is in the active state when
the timepiece is in the wake mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch-interface module executes to
configure the processor to detect a toggle input when the timepiece is in
the wake mode.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the toggle input is a user interaction
with the touch interface along a pre-defined path of continuous contact.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the display driver module executes so
as to configure the processor to transition the display to one or more
alternative displays responsive to the toggle input.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a sleep input when the
timepiece is in the wake mode, the processor configured by the one or
more software modules executing therein, transitions the timepiece to the
sleep mode.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sleep input is a user interaction
with the touch interface for a pre-determined amount of time on a
pre-determined area of the display.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-determined amount of time is
between 2 and 5 seconds.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-determined amount of time is
between 1 and 3 seconds.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-determined amount of time is
1 second.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the touch interface is in a locked
state when the timepiece is in the sleep mode.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein, when the timepiece is in the sleep
mode, the display is in an inactive state and the touch interface is in a
locked state.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor transitions the display
to an alternative display for a pre-determined period of time prior to
transitioning the timepiece to the sleep mode.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the touch-interface module executes to
configure the processor to detect an auto-stand-by event when the
timepiece is in the wake mode and transition the timepiece to a stand-by
mode responsive to the auto-stand-by event.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the auto-stand-by event is an absence
of a user interaction with the touch-interface for a pre-determined
period of time.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the pre-determined period of time is
5 seconds.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein, the display is in an inactive state
when the timepiece is in the stand-by mode.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein, responsive to a user interaction
with the touch-interface when the timepiece is in the stand-by mode, the
processor configured by the one or more software modules executing
therein, transitions the timepiece to a wake mode.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the touch-interface is in the locked
state when in the stand-by mode.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a user interaction with
the touch interface for a pre-determined amount of time on a
pre-determined area of the display, the processor configured by the one
or more software modules executing therein, transitions the timepiece to
a setting adjustment mode.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein, when the timepiece is in the setting
adjustment mode, the touch-interface module executes to configure the
processor to detect a toggle input on the touch interface wherein the
toggle input adjusts the one or more settings.

27. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more touch buttons
operatively connected to the processor, wherein the one or more touch
buttons are two state electronic switches.

28. A computer-implemented method for displaying information to a user on
a portable electronic timepiece of the type having one or more processors
configured to interact with a display, a touch interface in registry with
the display, a computer readable storage medium, and instructions in the
form of one or more software modules stored in the storage medium and
executable in the processor, comprising: detecting a wake input on the
user interface using the processor configured by the one or more software
modules executing therein executing therein; transitioning the timepiece
from a sleep mode to a wake mode using the processor configured by the
one or more software modules executing therein executing therein; and
displaying a first display responsive to the wake input using the
processor configured by the one or more software modules executing
therein executing therein.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising, when the timepiece is in
the wake mode, detecting a toggle input on the user interface, and
transitioning the display to one or more alternative displays responsive
to the toggle input using the processor configured by the one or more
software modules executing therein.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising, when the timepiece is in
the wake mode, detecting a sleep input on the user interface, and
transitioning the timepiece to the sleep mode responsive to the sleep
input using the processor configured by the one or more software modules
executing therein.

31. The method of claim 28 further comprising, when the timepiece is in
the wake mode, detecting a sleep input on the user interface, and
transitioning the timepiece to the sleep mode using the processor
configured by the one or more software modules executing therein.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising, prior to transitioning the
timepiece to the sleep mode, displaying an alternative display for a
pre-determined period of time using the processor configured by the one
or more software modules executing therein.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising, when the timepiece is in
the wake mode, detecting an auto-stand-by event, and transitioning the
timepiece to a stand-by mode using the processor configured by the one or
more software modules executing therein.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising, when the timepiece is in
the stand-by mode, detecting a user interaction with the touch interface,
and transitioning the timepiece to the wake mode using the processor
configured by the one or more software modules executing therein.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising, detecting a user
interaction with the touch interface for a pre-determined amount of time
on a pre-determined area of the display, and transitioning the timepiece
to a setting adjustment mode using the processor configured by the one or
more software modules executing therein.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising, when the timepiece is in
the setting adjustment mode, detecting a toggle input on the touch
interface-, and adjusting the one or more settings responsive to the
toggle input, using the processor configured by the one or more software
modules executing therein.

37. The method of claim 28, further comprising, detecting, using the
processor configured by the one or more software modules executing
therein, a user interaction with one or more touch buttons operatively
connected to the processor.

[0002] This patent application relates generally to the field of portable
electronic timepieces, in particular, to digital watches that have touch
sensitive user interfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Traditionally, wrist watches have been constructed as complex
mechanical devices. With the advent of digital wrist watches and the
continued realization of Moore's law, the functionality and popularity of
digital watches has increased dramatically and the cost has decreased.

[0004] Digital watches however are not without limitations. By example,
early digital watches had segmented displays that used LED technology to
show time. Such displays consume a significant amount of power. In order
to prolong battery life, the display is arranged to show the time only
after a user physically depresses a button. The display powers-off
shortly after the user releases the button.

[0005] Yet another drawback to traditional digital watches is the myriad
of buttons used to control their functionality. Since each button has
limited, dedicated functions, additional buttons are required which come
at the expense of intuitive use and which require complex actions and
manipulation to control the device.

[0006] Mechanical buttons on watches also have the limitation of not
discriminating between an inadvertent actuation and one intended by the
user. Not only can inadvertent actuation interfere with the intended use
of the watch, but this can lead to more significant problems such as
draining the power supply or affecting settings.

[0007] The introduction of the touch-interface has created an infinite
number of possible user inputs and has eliminated the need for multiple
buttons to control a highly functional digital device. Touch-interfaces
have become popular with the proliferation of smart phones. One further
benefit to a touch-interface is that it is Most receptive to touch from
human skin and not an inadvertent touch by an inanimate object, including
clothing, thereby decreasing the possibility of inadvertent actuation.

[0008] It can be appreciated that digital watch constructions that can be
activated with a simple interaction by the user are desired in the art.
Moreover, the activation of such watch constructions, while simple when
intended by the user, are advantageously constructed so as to prevent
inadvertent activation either by the user or an object coming into
contact with the watch.

[0009] It is with respect to these and other considerations that the
disclosure made herein is presented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a high-level diagram illustrating an exemplary
configuration for a portable electronic timepiece;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a routine that illustrates a broad
aspect of the operation of a portable electronic timepiece in accordance
with at least one embodiment disclosed herein;

[0012]FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary portable electronic timepiece in
accordance with at least one embodiment disclosed herein shown in a sleep
mode;

[0018]FIG. 8 depicts an optional intermediate mode prior to transitioning
to the sleep mode of FIG. 3; and

[0019]FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of a timepiece having plural
buttons.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] By way of overview and instruction, systems and methods are
described herein that facilitate and enable a portable electronic
timepiece (timepiece) with a touch sensitive user interface. It can be
appreciated that traditional digital watches allow a user to wake the
device from an inactive mode by actuating a push button. Furthermore,
push buttons can be easily actuated inadvertently which can drain battery
power prematurely. Devices with touch interfaces, such as smart phones,
commonly require complex procedures requiring push buttons and touch
screen inputs to transition the device from an inactive or sleep mode to
a fully operational or wake mode. For example waking an Apple iPhone
requires pushing the button to activate the screen then touching the
device in one location and dragging a finger across the device in a
pre-determined path to unlock the device.

[0021] In an effort to provide a portable electronic timepiece that can be
easily activated, minimizing inadvertent activation and provides
extensive functionality, the system and methods described herein enable a
series of operations whereby a user can transition a portable electronic
timepiece from a sleep mode to a wake mode with the simple act of
touching a particular area on the touch interface for a set period of
time (also referred to as a dwell). A user dwell is not limited to
triggering a wake or sleep mode but can also trigger a variety of other
functions depending on how long the dwell lasts and where on the touch
interface that it occurs. Once in a wake mode, the timepiece becomes
fully operational, and can interpret a variety of user inputs on the
touchscreen, such as a continuous touch (or swipe) from left to right or
right to left and alter the information shown on the display in response.
It should be understood that a swipe input can trigger a variety of
functions depending on the location, direction and path of the swipe
across the touch interface. The portable electronic timepiece could also
include a combination of one or more touch buttons and a touch interface.

[0022] The following detailed description is directed to systems and
methods for a portable electronic timepiece with a touch-sensitive user
interface. The referenced systems and methods are now described more
fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which one or more
illustrated embodiments and/or arrangements of the systems and methods
are shown. The systems and methods are not limited in any way to the
illustrated embodiments and/or arrangements which rather are exemplary.
Therefore, it is to be understood that any structural and functional
details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting the
systems and methods, but rather are provided as a representative
embodiment and/or arrangement for teaching one skilled in the art one or
more ways to implement the systems and methods. Accordingly, aspects of
the present systems and methods can take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident
software, micro-code, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and
hardware. One of skill in the art can appreciate that a software process
can be transformed into an equivalent hardware structure, and a hardware
structure can itself be transformed into an equivalent software process.
Thus, the selection of a hardware implementation versus a software
implementation is one of design choice and left to the implementer.
Furthermore, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be
limiting, but rather are to provide an understandable description of the
systems and methods.

[0023] An exemplary portable electronic timepiece 100 is shown in the
high-level diagram of FIG. 1. The timepiece 100 comprises a housing 102
and a band 108. The band 108 can be made fixedly or removably attached to
the housing 102 or can be integral to the housing 102. The band 108 can
secure the timepiece 100 around a user's wrist but it is generally
understood that it need not be worn in the traditional sense. The band
108 or the housing 102 can be made of any durable synthetic or natural
material such as leather, polymer, metal or any combination thereof.

[0024] The timepiece 100 further comprises a circuit board 140, such as a
motherboard, which is operatively connected to various hardware and
software components that serve to enable operation of the timepiece 100.
The circuit board 140 is operatively connected to a display 104, and a
touch interface 150, and a processor 110. Optionally, there is a memory
120 which is shown merely for purposes of illustration and not to limit
any particular embodiment. Processor 110 serves to execute instructions
for software that can be loaded into a buffer accessible to the processor
or from the memory 120. Processor 110 can be a number of processors, a
single, a multi-processor core, or some other type of processor,
depending on the particular implementation.

[0025] Display 104 is also operatively connected to the processor 110.
Display can be a digital display such as a segment display, a dot matrix
display or a 2-dimensional display and can incorporate, by way of example
and not limitation, a liquid crystal display, light emitting diode
display, electroluminescent display, or electronic paper. The display
provides an output to the user of information such as the local time, a
second time zone, the date, and so on, as a function of the mode of the
watch as managed by instructions executing in the processor 110.

[0026] Touch interface 150 is also operatively connected to the processor.
The touch interface 150 is a transparent interface that is placed in
register on the top of the display 104 or on/around the perimeter of
display 104. A touch interface is comprised of one or more thin,
transparent layers that can detect when and where a user touches the
interface and it allows a user to interact directly with what is
displayed without requiring an intermediate device such as a computer
mouse. The touch interface 150 can be constructed using, by way of
example and not limited to, resistive, capacitive, acoustic, infrared,
optical imaging, or dispersive signal technology. The touch interface 150
provides an input to the user for obtaining commands that are provided to
the processor, as described below, in order to control the state or mode
of operation of the timepiece 100.

[0027] A memory 120 and/or storage 190 are accessible by processor 110,
thereby enabling processor 110 to receive and execute instructions stored
on memory 120 and/or on storage 190. Memory 120 can be, for example, a
random access memory (RAM) or any other suitable volatile or non-volatile
computer readable storage medium. In addition, memory 120 can be fixed or
removable.

[0028] Alternatively, in one particular implementation, storage 190 can
take various forms. For example, storage 190 can contain one or more
components or devices such as a hard drive, a flash memory, a rewritable
optical disk or some combination of the above. Storage 190 also can be
fixed or removable. In implementations in which removable storage can be
mounted so as to be accessible to the processor 110 and the operating
system of the timepiece 100, data on the removable storage device can be
presented to the user through the display 104 as a function of the mode
of the timepiece 100, as managed by instructions executing in the
processor 110.

[0029] One or more software modules 130 are encoded in storage 190 and/or
in memory 120. Optionally, other data such as images can be encoded in
the storage 190 and/or the memory 120. Such images can be selected and/or
provided as a background image as part of the display of information to a
user when the timepiece is in an awake state. The software modules 130
can comprise one or more software programs or applications having
computer program code (e.g., a set of instructions) that execute in the
processor 110. Such computer program code is provided for carrying out
operations for aspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein, and
can be written in a low level assembly language.

[0030] Included among the software modules 130 is a touch interface module
170 and display driver module 175 that are executed by processor 110.
During execution of the software modules 130, and specifically the
touch-input processing application 170, and the display driver module
175, the software modules 170 configure the processor 110 to perform
various operations that drive the display 104 in response to a user's
interaction with the touch interface 150, as will be described in greater
detail below. It should also be noted that while FIG. 1 depicts memory
120 oriented on circuit board 140, this is not required. In an alternate
arrangement, memory 120, if provided, can be operatively connected to the
circuit board 140 or integral with the processor 110 and other components
as a single, integrated circuit. In addition, it should be noted that
other information and/or data relevant to the operation of the present
systems and methods can also be stored on separate storage 190, if
provided in a particular implementation as will be discussed in greater
detail below.

[0031] Embodiments and/or arrangements can be described in a general
context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules,
being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include
routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that
perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.

[0032] Turning now to FIG. 2, a flow diagram is described showing a
routine 200 that illustrates a broad aspect of a method for the operation
of a portable electronic device in accordance with at least one
embodiment disclosed herein. It should be appreciated that several of the
logical operations described herein are implemented (1) as a sequence of
computer implemented acts or program modules running on timepiece 100
and/or (2) as interconnected machine logic circuits or circuit modules
within the timepiece 100. The implementation is a matter of choice
dependent on the requirements of the device (e.g., size, energy,
consumption, performance, etc.). Accordingly, the logical operations
described herein are referred to variously as operations, steps,
structural devices, acts, or modules. It should also be appreciated that
more or fewer operations can be performed than shown in the figures and
described herein. These operations can also be performed in a different
order than those described herein.

[0033] The process begins at step 205 at which processor 110 executes one
or more of software modules 130, including touch interface module 170 and
display driver module 175 to configure the timepiece 100 to default to a
sleep mode. When in a sleep mode, at least some of the constituent
electronic components of the timepiece 100 are inactive or in a state of
relative inactivity and as a result the timepiece 100 can conserve power.
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary timepiece in a sleep mode. It can be
appreciated from FIG. 3 that when the timepiece 100 is in the sleep mode,
the timepiece 100 can be configured such that the display 104 is devoid
of information (that is, it is free of any illumination), or, in the
alternative, the display 104 can show only limited, selected information
by a controlled illumination of only a portion of the display 104.

[0034] Then at step 210, the processor 110 executes one or more of
software modules 130, including the touch-interface module 170 to
configure the timepiece 100 to receive a wake input by way of the touch
interface 150. A wake input received at the touch-interface is an
indication that a user 125 intends to wake the timepiece 100 from an
inactive state. Timepiece 100 detects a wake input by analyzing whether
the user has interacted with the touch interface 150 for a pre-determined
amount of time and in a pre-determined area of the display 104. In the
event of a wake input, the timepiece 100 changes from sleep mode to wake
mode in accordance with the code of the touch interface module 170 and
the display driver module 175 that is executing in the processor 110.

[0035] By way of example, in reference to FIG. 4, the timepiece 100 can be
configured to wake after a user 125 touches the touch interface 150 at
the button area 109 marked by a circle and the touch remains stationary
for between 1-2 seconds, this is also referred to as a dwell input. The
area 109 can comprise a color circle in a variety of color choices to
complement the timepiece. The button area 109 can comprise a permanently
rendered feature (as in the present illustrations) as opposed to an
illuminated portion of the display 104. However, the button area 109 need
not be rendered on the display 104 at all and its location can vary and
is not limited to a particular shape. Furthermore, the duration of the
stationary interaction with the touch interface 150 required to prompt
the timepiece to transition to a wake mode can be established by the code
or hardware so as to be between 0.5 and 5 seconds, and more specifically
between 1 and 3 seconds and preferably exactly one second.

[0036] In other devices, such as smart phones, the user must perform a
rather complex task of first pushing a mechanical button to activate the
screen and then touching the touchscreen in a particular location and
moving his finger along a pre-defined path in order to wake the device.
According to the present invention, the user can wake the timepiece 100
from a sleep mode by simply touching and remaining stationary (i.e. a
dwell) at a specific location of the touch interface 150 without the need
for (i.e., being free of) any mechanical buttons whatsoever. It can be
appreciated that the function carried out by the timepiece 100 in
response to a user's stationary input is not limited to transitioning
from a wake to a sleep mode as described above. The timepiece 100 can be
configured to perform other operations depending on the duration of a
dwell or the location of a dwell in accordance with the code of the touch
interface module 170 that is executing in the processor 110. By way of
example, a user' dwelling at button 109 for between 2 and 10 seconds can
correspond to a user command to set the hour displayed. The user can then
change the hour up or down by swiping horizontally across the device
similar to how a user can toggle between displays in wake mode as is
described below.

[0037]FIG. 5 shows an exemplary timepiece 100 in a wake mode. When the
timepiece 100 is set to a wake mode, it is fully functional operationally
and configured to show information on the display 104. When the timepiece
100 transitions from a sleep to a wake mode the timepiece 100 is
configured to default to displaying a first display, which can be, by way
of example, the current time. Other defaults can be programmed in
alternative implementations. Furthermore, in wake mode, the timepiece is
configured to respond to a broader set of user interactions with the
touch interface 150 and to display information other than the first time,
such as the date or the time in a second time zone.

[0038] Then at step 215, the processor 110 executes one or more of
software modules 130, including the touch interface module 170 to
configure the timepiece 100 to receive a toggle input by way of the touch
interface 150. A toggle input received at the touch-interface 150 is an
indication that the user 125 intends to change the information displayed
by the timepiece 100. The timepiece 100 can determine whether an input
received at the touch-interface 150 is a valid toggle input by detecting
the user's path of continuous contact with the touch interface 150 and
analyzing the vector of the user's contact. According to the vector of
the user's touch, the timepiece 100 can toggle the information shown on
the display 104 to an alternative display in accordance with the code of
the touch interface module 170 and the display driver module 175 that is
executing in the processor.

[0039] By way of example, in reference to FIG. 6A, while already in a wake
mode, and displaying the default first display, time 1, the timepiece 100
can be configured to display an alternate display, time 2, when the
timepiece 100 detects a user's 125 left to right horizontal a swipe
across the touch interface 150. FIG. 6B depicts the timepiece displaying
the alternate display, time 2, after detecting the toggle input.
Similarly, the timepiece 100 can be configured to display yet another
alternate display, date, when the timepiece 100 detects a user's right to
left horizontal a swipe across the touch interface 150.

[0040] There is a limitless amount of information that the timepiece 100
can be configured to display as a default or in response to a user's
toggle input. In certain alternative constructions having a suitable
display element and additional memory components as described above,
timepiece 100 can be configured to show images or weather data which can
be stored in memory 120 or storage 190. In addition, there are a myriad
of ways in which a user can cycle through the various alternative
displays. For example, a user 125 continuously swiping from left to right
can first toggle from time 1 to time 2 to date and back to time 1, and
repeat the cycle so long as the user 125 keeps swiping. In alternative
constructions, actionable user input can include swipes across the touch
interface 150 other than horizontal, such as any pre-defined interaction
with the touch interface 150 that can be interpreted by the processor
110, e.g. tracing an S shape or a U. These various configurations and
functions can be realized in accordance with the touch interface module
170 and the display driver module 175 that are executing in the processor
110.

[0041] Then at step 220, the processor 110 executes one or more of
software modules 130, including the touch-interface module 170 to
configure the timepiece 100 to receive a sleep input by way of the touch
interface 150. A sleep input received at the touch-interface 150 is an
indication from a user that the user 125 intends to transition the
timepiece 100 to a sleep mode which is also referred to as a sleep input.
While in a wake mode, timepiece 100 can detect a sleep input by analyzing
whether the user has interacted with the touch interface 150 for a
pre-determined amount of time and in a pre-determined area of the display
104. In the event of a sleep input, the timepiece 100 transitions from
wake mode to a sleep mode in accordance with the code of the touch
interface module 170 and the display driver module 175 that is executing
in the processor.

[0042] By way of example, in reference to FIG. 7, the timepiece 100 can be
configured to transition to a sleep mode after a user 125 touches the
touch interface 150 at the button area 109 marked by a circle and
remaining stationary for between 2-3 seconds. After the timepiece detects
a valid sleep input, the timepiece 100 can transition from a wake mode
where the display is lit to a sleep mode where the display can be
in-active. As an intermediate step, after receiving a valid sleep input
but before entering a sleep mode, the timepiece 100 can be configured to
temporarily show a message on the display 104 such as "BYE", indicating
that it is entering into a sleep mode as shown in FIG. 8.

[0043] Then at step 225, the processor 110 executes one or more of
software modules 130, including the touch-interface module 170 to
configure the timepiece 100 to detect an auto-stand-by event. An
auto-stand-by event is an indication that the user 125 no longer intends
to interact with the timepiece 100. Timepiece 100 detects an
auto-stand-by event by determining if and when the user has last touched
the touch interface 150 and analyzing whether that occurred within a
pre-determined amount of time. In the event that the user has not
interacted with the touch interface within the pre-determined amount of
time, the timepiece 100 transitions automatically from a wake mode to a
stand-by mode in accordance with the code of the touch interface module
170 and the display driver module 175 that is executing in the processor.
By way of example, the timepiece can be configured to go to stand-by mode
after not detecting a user input by the touch interface 150 for a period
of 5 seconds. Furthermore, by way of example, in the stand-by mode the
timepiece 100 can be configured to de-activate display 104 and remain
inactive until a user touches the touch interface 150. Alternatively, the
timepiece can be placed into a sleep mode by touching the area 109 for a
prescribed time period when the timepiece is presently in the activated
state.

[0044]FIG. 9 shows an exemplary timepiece 100 further comprising one or
more touch buttons. Button A 161, button B 162, button C 163 and button D
164 are electronic switches that are operatively connected to the
processor 110. A touch button is an input device with two states, on and
off, with which the user can direct the timepiece 100 to perform a
function in accordance with code executing in the processor 110. By
example, touching button A 161 can perform the wake or sleep functions
described above. Or in addition, the timepiece 100 can be configured to
prompt the user to set the time 1 shown on display 104 when user touches
button A 161 and dwells there for a pre-determined period of time (e.g.
two seconds). The user can then toggle through the hour, minute, day or
year and adjusting the value up or down by either touching one or more of
the touch buttons or touching the touch interface 150 in a pre-defined
way in accordance with code executing on the processor 110. To change the
hour displayed, the user 125 can touch the touch interface 150 and drag
his finger, for example, horizontally, to increase the time value
displayed.

[0045] From the foregoing, therefore, the invention can be characterized,
in one aspect, as a portable electronic timepiece comprising a band, a
case attached to the band, a display, a touch-interface in registry with
the display, a memory, a processor, a display driver module comprising
code stored in the memory, and a touch-interface module comprising code
stored in the memory. The processor can be configured by the modules to
respond to the touch-interface and to control the display. The touch
interface module, when executed in the processor, can configure the
processor to detect a user-interaction with the touch interface at a
first location for a first duration, transition the display driver module
to an active state and displays a first display upon detection of
user-interaction at the first location for a pre-determined duration,
transition the display driver module to an inactive state and the
touch-interface module to a stand-by mode after a pre-determined period
without user-interaction with the touch-interface, and display an
alternative display when the touch-interface module is in an unlocked
state in response to a swipe-gesture detected at the touch-interface
along a pre-defined input path.

[0046] In the foregoing description, certain features have been described
in relation to certain embodiments of the invention, but these same
features are to be understood as being useable in other arrangements and
embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is defined by the recitations in
the claims appended hereto and equivalents thereof, and is not limited to
particular details of any of the foregoing embodiments that rather are
provided to facilitate an understanding of the invention and to satisfy
certain statutory requirements.